


The Jumper

by NAMINEM



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Angst, Double Drabble, Gen, Inspired by the origin of Grim Reapers in the manga, Suicide, chapter 105 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-06-04 00:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6632428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NAMINEM/pseuds/NAMINEM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>William remembers his final moments as a human.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Jumper

Worn brick under worn shoes.

The edge of a rooftop.

Snow-powdered cobblestone below. Not very far, but far enough.

(At least he hoped so.)

Nothing was fine. Nothing had _ever_ been fine.

He imagined his blood spilled across the snow like ink on parchment and swallowed around the clamping in his throat. There was a squeezing pain in his skull, and tears pricked his cheeks like icy needles.

His entire body buzzed as if screaming at him to back away. Instinct. He fought it bravely for the sake of cowardice.

One shoe lifted slowly from the cold rooftop. One step into empty air.

Falling.

-

Red emerges in his periphery. But it is not the red of blood spreading over cobblestone. It is the red of long hair and a coat sleeve. His subordinate’s yellow-green eyes are fixed upon him in worry.

“Will, are you all right? You’ve been staring down at the street for some time…”

William takes a step back from the ledge of the building they stand on. His voice comes out mechanically, but it’s not so different from his usual tone. “Everything is fine, Sutcliff.” He recites the old lie, and Grell swallows it.

 _Nothing_ is fine.

**Author's Note:**

> After learning how reapers come into existence, I wanted to experiment with the idea a little. Chapter 105 in the manga explains that they become reapers because they are being punished for committing suicide. It’s hard to say how much reapers remember about their lives as humans, but I thought it would be interesting if they at least remembered parts of how they died. (And maybe they only remember how they died, so it’s as if reliving their death over and over is a part of their punishment.) I’ve also read various theories about how each of the reapers committed suicide, and there seems to be some interesting ideas for William jumping off of a building. He’s often shown in high-up places in the anime/manga – it’s almost like he has an obsession. So that’s how this story came about!


End file.
